The house seemed much less wonderful upon their return when she knew that it required pretending she hadn't just had the best day of her life. But Regina didn't voice that opinion, instead staying silent as they arrived.

When they stepped inside, Henry whispered, "Take off your boots," as he wiggled out of his sneakers. "Being in socks is way better than being yelled at for tracking mud through the house, trust me."

Regina complied, tugging the boots off and setting them nicely beside the door. She looked to Henry for further direction, trying to force her shoulders and mind to relax.

"It'll be okay," Henry said quietly, smiling at her and leading her to the kitchen, where Emma and Regina were talking quietly.

Emma looked up as they entered, and let out a laugh. "What the hell happened to you two? You look like drowned rats."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Ma. It started pouring right after you called, so we had to ride back in the rain, then Atlas needed more hay, so back out into the rain to go to the barn. Pretty sure the seats in my car are gonna take a week to dry out."

"I apologize for getting your clothes wet," Regina told her older self.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, dear. We'll get you something to change into," the mayor answered. "Henry, you'd better change, too."

"Yeah, I'm gonna take a quick shower, too. I blasted the heat all the way home, but I'm still freezing."

"Okay," Emma responded agreeably. "Baby Regina, you might want to take a shower, too. Don't have those in the Enchanted Forest, and they're glorious."

"At the same time?" she squeaked, eyes widening.

"We have multiple showers," the other Regina answered, giving Emma a glare.

Struggling to keep acting normal, Henry hiked a thumb over his shoulder. "Back in a bit," he said, and hurried upstairs to his room to grab clean clothes, then closing himself in the main bathroom, stripping and turning the water on hot, intent on taking care of the arousal that had been driving him crazy for over an hour.

Emma shrugged. "Hey, you find a less confusing way for me to address you guys other than Regina and Baby Regina, I'm all for it. Until then, don't bitch at me, Madam Mayor." She stuck her tongue out and grinned.

"We'll be back down in a few minutes," Regina told Emma. After finding a pair of thick yoga pants, a cotton tee-shirt, and showing her younger self how to work a bra, she set her up in the shower and made her way back downstairs to where Emma was in the kitchen.

Emma raised her eyebrows at Regina as she returned. "So how's she taking everything?"

"Seemingly well. She doesn't seem frightened or upset, so I take that to assume putting her in Henry's care was a good idea," Regina answered, rounding the island to put the finishing touches on the lunch she'd put back in the oven to keep warm.

"Yeah, he's a good kid," Emma nodded. "He'll take care of her. I… kind of feel sorry for her, you know? I mean, knowing what we'll be sending her back to."

Nodding, Regina hummed thoughtfully and turned to face the other woman. "I hate it. If it wouldn't screw up the timeline I would do anything I could to protect her from everything that's going to happen."

Emma sighed. "Yeah. This sucks."

Regina didn't want to dwell on her history, so she smirked and shook her head. "What do you suppose we should call her? Baby Regina is not going to be how we refer to her for the duration of her time here."

"Aw, take away my fun," Emma joked, grinning. "Well, there are always nicknames. Gina?"

"No. Absolutely not."

"Ginny?"

"That sounds like a name for a classless brat," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "And if the next thing out of your mouth is 'Reggie' I'm kicking you out."

"You're seriously stifling my creativity here."

Sighing softly, Regina considered the few options. "Ree?"

Emma's expression turned considering, and she nodded. "Ree. I like it. Sounds like a noise a baby bird would make." She brought her voice to a higher register. "Ree! Ree!"

She shot Emma with a glare and chuckled darkly. "Did I say Ginny sounded like the name of a classless brat? I think I meant Emma."

Grinning, Emma shrugged. "Sorry. Mom's been trying to teach me how to talk to birds."

"Unsurprising." Pulling out some bowls, Regina set the biscuits on a cooking sheet into the oven. "Does Ree really sound that bad?"

"No," Emma chuckled. "It's cute. I think it suits her. Sweet and unassuming."

When she finished her shower, young Regina dried herself off and dressed in the fresh clothes she was given. She stuffed the wet clothes into the hamper her older self had pointed out, then braided her hair loosely. Stepping out of the room, she wandered down the hall to where she'd heard Henry earlier. Seeing a light beneath one of the doors, Regina knocked lightly and whispered, "Henry?"

Henry was just starting to get dressed after his shower when the knock sounded at the door, and he quickly pulled his jeans up, zipping and buttoning them before opening the door. "Yeah?" he asked softly.

Eyes widening and wandering over his exposed skin, Regina took a step back. "Oh. I-I apologize... I didn't mean to interrupt."

Henry couldn't help but grin at the way she was effected by his semi-nudity. "Hey, it's okay. It's not a big deal. In this world guys go shirtless all the time. But here, I don't want you to be uncomfortable." He grabbed his shirt from the counter to pull it on.

She looked him over, moving her hand to still his. "Discomfort is not what I am feeling, Henry," Regina said thickly.

Henry swallowed hard, his gaze flicking over her, before moving over her shoulder to make sure neither of his mothers were coming up the stairs. Then, he took Regina's hand and pulled her into the bathroom, shutting the door and pressing her lightly against it with his body. "What are you feeling?" he whispered into her ear.

Her breath hitched and she turned her face so her lips brushed his jaw. "I feel like it's a shame we were interrupted earlier."

"Mmm," Henry hummed, tilting his head to kiss her neck. "I agree."

Regina gripped his waist, sighing softly at the press of his lips. "Henry," she moaned quietly, rolling her lips together and wetting them with her tongue.

"I'm gonna kiss you," he whispered, "until your knees buckle. And then we're going to have to go downstairs and pretend it never happened."

"Oh, please do," Regina requested breathlessly. "How ever will I return the favor of such delightful misery?"

Henry chuckled darkly, lifting his head so their lips brushed together as he spoke. "It is a delightful misery for us both… one which you will be able to hide much easier than I." He pressed his hips forward, just in case she missed his meaning. Despite taking care of himself in the shower, he was already twitching in interest.

"Mm, are you certain some stolen kisses are worth the trouble?" she teased, tilting her own hips into him. Moving one hand up his chest, she gently scratched at his skin, needing to feel him, needing the reminder that he wasn't just a dream.

Shivering lightly at her touch, he murmured, "I would never steal from a lady. But should she grant me the gift of kisses, it would be worth any trouble."

With a flash of desire for him, Regina wrapped one hand around his neck and pulled him to her, pressing their lips hard together. The hand she still had on his waist pulled him harder against her, her body desperate for friction.

Groaning quietly, Henry immediately parted her lips with his tongue, taking command of the kiss as he ground against her slowly.

She let her jaw relax and moved her tongue along his. Having no idea what she could do besides hold her hips against his grinding ones, Regina spread her legs just slightly further before wrapping one leg around his, her ankle behind his calf, and hoped that felt as good for him as it did for her.

"Fuck," Henry mumbled, his hand sliding down to her thigh, lifting her leg higher as he shifted his hips, feeling her heat through their clothes.

Regina whimpered against his lips. Her body felt on fire at his touch and the pressure he was applying to her womanhood. She slid her hand into his hair, tugging at it as they kissed.

Henry's fingers flexed against Regina's thigh, his other hand stroking over her side, hesitantly moving toward her breast. Loud knocking on the door made him jump and freeze in place.

"Hey, kid, hurry up in there, we're starving!" Emma called through the door.

Taking a cleansing breath, Henry shook his head. "Be right out. I was just," his brain raced, "showing Regina some of the modern conveniences."

"Yeah, well, you can do that after lunch," Emma replied, her voice getting further away as she headed back downstairs.

Breathing deeply, Henry pulled away, stepping back from Regina and yanking his shirt on.

With a series of deep breaths, Regina smirked and looked up at Henry. "It seems your mother is very good at interrupting us."

"Yeah, she is," Henry muttered, shaking his head. "Okay, before we go down, a few quick things…" He looked around the bathroom. "Okay, these are toothbrushes and toothpaste, you brush your teeth so they don't rot and fall out, and uh, uh… medicine! Yeah, these are like cold medicines and fever medicines that make you feel better when you're sick," he babbled.

Regina took his hands and her smirk widened. "One you missed... a bra. Something your mother showed me how to use before my shower. No wonder you were so distracted today," she teased.

Henry turned red, looking down. "Yeah… Sorry about that. I didn't mean to stare at you."

Pressing a playful kiss to his lips, Regina shook her head. "I find that I don't mind you looking. It's nice to be desired by such a kind young man."

Henry grinned and took Regina's hand. "We should go back downstairs before Ma comes back up again."

"Okay." She turned and pulled the door open, stepping into the hall and pulling Henry along with her. "Whatever your mother is cooking smells absolutely wonderful."

"Yeah, Mom's a really good cook," Henry nodded, leading the other teen back down the stairs. "And her baking is amazing, too."

When they got to the main floor, Regina dropped Henry's hand and walked toward the kitchen. She stepped into the large room, the fragrance overwhelming her. "The food smells delicious," she said, looking at the other Regina. She felt weird calling her by their name, so she avoided that.

"Thank you," the older brunette said. "Are those clothes warm enough?"

"Yes, thank you."

"So we figured out something to call you besides Baby Regina, if you agree to it," Emma said, looking at the girl and jumping right in. "We thought maybe Ree would work."

"Oh... sure, Ree is fine."

"Henry, would you mind setting plates and glasses at the table? I'll fill the bowls in here, but take in some salad plates for the salad and rolls," Regina told him. "You can show Ree where to sit, too."

"Sure, Mom." Henry moved to the cupboard, grabbing a stack of plates and setting the glasses on top. "C'mon… Ree." He grinned, jerking his head toward the dining room and leading the way.

With a small smile to the older women, she followed Henry to the dining room. "Do both of your mothers live here?" Regina asked, slightly confused by the relationship between them.

Henry shook his head as he set out the plates and glasses. "Nope. Ma lives with her parents and little brother a few houses down the street. But when a magical crisis happens, you pretty much can't separate them, because their magic is so much stronger together."

"Oh." She should have realized it when they were talking near the apple tree, and when Henry explained how they would try to get her home, but her mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts and worries that she hadn't. Shaking her head, Ree stepped back, leaning against the wall, eyes wide and brow furrowed. "I use magic?" she gasped in horror.

Looking up quickly at her tone, Henry hurried over, his hands coming up to hover at her sides, unsure if he should follow through with his instinct to pull her to him in a comforting hug. "Oh, hey, no, it's okay, I promise. Mom's good, she doesn't use magic to hurt people. She helps protect this town, and Ma's the same."

"I don't understand. Magic is evil, it-it's horrible! I don't want to have magic!" Ree cried out, shaking her head.

Screw it, Henry thought, and wrapped his arms around her. "Shh, it's okay. I promise magic isn't evil. I promise. I know your mom hurt you with magic. That was dark magic, and you're right, it is evil. But my moms, they use light magic. Light magic comes from love, and it's pure and good. And my mom? She's really, really powerful. You know what that means? It means she loves really strong and really deep. She's not evil. You're not evil."

Emma slowly backed out of the room, not wanting to draw the attention of the two teenagers. "Regina?" she said in a low voice, looking troubled. "I think we might have a problem."

Looking up from filling the last bowl, Regina raised her eyebrows. "What's the problem?"

"I think they… like each other."

"What?" she asked, shaking her head. "Henry wouldn't... she's me, he knows better than that."

"Well, she's not really you… she's just going to be you," Emma pointed out, leaning against the wall. "But, uh… if you don't believe me, go take a look."

Regina wiped her hands off on her apron and walked to the dining room doorway, stepping through just enough to look in. She walked in just in time to see Henry holding Ree and Ree was looking up at him with a look of deep affection. Covering her mouth, she backed away and looked at Emma. "How the hell are we going to fix that?" she asked, pointing toward the other room.

"I'm not sure we can," Emma grimaced. "It's not like we can forbid them to see each other, that would just make it worse." Thinking for a minute, she suddenly looked up. "Hey, wait a minute. Don't you remember any of this?"

"No. I should... but I don't. Maybe... I'm not sure how this works, since present me has officially gone through this, but Ree hasn't, but perhaps we'll give her a memory potion?" With a sigh, she leaned against the counter and ran through the possibilities in her mind. "I don't know what else it could be, or why I wouldn't remember this. What I do know is that I've only ever looked at two people that way in my entire life - at least, romantically."

Emma nodded, her brow still furrowed. The rumbling of her stomach interrupted her thought process, and she sheepishly suggested, "Maybe we tackle the problem after lunch?"

"All right," Regina answered, nodding. "Henry, why don't you come help with the bowls!" She definitely didn't want to walk in on them like that again, it was already making her skin itch with the discomfort she was feeling. Then, moving back to the stove, she piled the biscuits into a basket and handed it, and silverware and napkins, over to Emma.

"I'll be right back," Henry whispered to Ree, squeezing her tighter for a moment before pulling away. "This is your seat, by the way," he pointed at a chair two away from the head of the table. It put her at the furthest point from the head, where Regina sat, but also had her next to him. Emma would be on the other side.

Nodding and taking a few calming breaths, she sat in the chair he'd pointed out to her. Ree was hesitant to believe him, but she trusted him, so she tried to allow that to ease her fears.

When Henry got into the kitchen, Regina handed him two bowls of the stew, telling him which was for him and which was for Ree. Picking up the salad bowl and her own stew, she looked at Emma. "Do you want to come back for yours or can you get it with that?" she asked, tilting her head to Emma's full hands.

"I got it," Emma nodded, shoving the silverware into her pocket and putting the napkins on top of the biscuits to free her hand for the bowl. She grinned triumphantly when she had everything.

Henry rolled his eyes and went back to the dining room, setting the bowls down and sliding into his seat.

Sighing and trying to shake off her worries, Regina stepped into the dining room and plastered a smile on her face. "Would anybody like a biscuit?" she asked, once she was sitting.

"Mother says I cannot eat bread," Ree answered, declining the offer and looking at the bowl Henry had placed in front of her.

"Your mother isn't here," Henry pointed out. "Plus, Mom makes the best biscuits." He grabbed two from the basket as Emma set it down, and dropped one on Ree's plate, grinning at her before splitting his open and grabbing his knife to slather it in butter.

Emma glanced between the three others at the table as she took her seat, unsure of how to react to anything.

"Ree, sweetheart, I eat bread almost daily, and we wear the same size clothing," Regina told her gently. "Cora isn't right about everything. Eat it if you want, but you don't have to, if you would rather not." She then scooped some salad onto her own plate and handed it to Henry. "Will you give Ree some, please?"

Quietly picking up the biscuit, Ree pulled it apart and put a small piece in her mouth, chewing and swallowing it. "This is delicious, thank you."

Henry beamed at her, subtlety clearly not his strong suit, and added salad to both their plates before passing the bowl to Emma.

"Eugh, do I have to?" Emma made a face at the bowl.

"Did you have a bearclaw for breakfast?" Henry asked. When his blonde mother looked away, muttering under her breath, he nodded. "Then you have to have salad."

Glaring at him lightly, Emma complained, "Traitor."

"You all act very nicely with each other. It's quite refreshing," Ree said, picking up the fork she'd been given. Setting her napkin in her lap, she started eating her salad.

Having Ree there was bringing back vicious memories of her mother and Regina let out a heavy exhale. Henry's obvious liking of her younger self was also distressing her and she cleared her throat. "The stew is chicken. I figured something familiar would be best."

Ree nodded and continued eating, staying quiet while she ate.

Henry glanced at Regina as he ate, and, guessing one of the reasons she was upset, said, "Ree, why don't you tell me something good about your life? Oh, I know! What about when you got Rocinante?"

"What's Rocinante?" Ree looked at him in confusion, folding her hands in her lap.

Tilting her head, Regina looked at the young brunette and frowned. She had definitely gotten Rocinante well before she was Ree's age. "Do you have a horse, Ree?"

"Yes! Her name is Majesty," she answered excitedly, her horse being one of her favorite things.

Henry looked at Regina, not quite sure how to react. Looking back at Ree, he asked, "But I thought… Mom had Rocinante."

Emma watched them with slowly widening eyes, beginning to wonder if the reason Regina didn't remember any of this was because they actually weren't the same person.

"I did. I had a stallion named Rocinante." Looking at Emma, she said, "I think we need to talk to Ru - ah, Gold."

"Have I said something wrong?" Ree asked, twisting her fingers in her lap.

"No, not at all," Henry assured her, reaching over and laying his hand over hers. "It's just that Mom had Rocinante when she was your age, and if you have a different horse, maybe you're not really from her past… Right, Mom?" he looked to Regina.

"That's right," she answered softly. "But I'm not completely sure how that's possible, because so much of your past is the same. So we'll have to take a different route in figuring out how to send you back."

"But I don't understand. You obviously look like me, and... I... I was by my apple tree when I fell by yours."

Henry smiled at her, squeezing her fingers. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out." After a short hesitation, he looked back at Regina, asking, "Mom… if Ree isn't from your past… maybe… maybe we don't have to send her back?"

Emma glanced at Regina, then looked back at Henry, shaking her head. "Kid, I really don't think that's a good idea."

Hesitating for a moment, Regina looked between the two teenagers and at Henry's hand on Ree's. "Sweetheart, we have to. Even if she's not from my past, she's from somebody's."

"So?" Henry argued, frowning. "Mom, you know what you'd be sending her back to!"

"Henry... is that the real reason you want her to stay?" she countered with a raise of one eyebrow. "Because any other reason needs to be nipped in the bud."

Stubbornly refusing to blush, Henry lifted his chin defiantly. "It's one of the reasons," he answered. "And any other reasons are my own."

Emma blew out a loud breath. "Kid… she's your mother. Or she will be, whatever."

"You don't know that!" Henry argued. "Obviously she's from a different timeline, you don't know what's gonna happen in it. Maybe I'm never born. Maybe you're never born!"

"Look at her, Henry! How can you... how... she looks exactly like me!" Regina hissed, waving her hand at Ree.

"I'm sorry," the younger brunette whimpered. "I didn't mean to be so much trouble. Truly, I didn't."

Henry glared fiercely at Regina for upsetting Ree, and when he turned back to her, his expression warmed. "You're not any trouble, Ree," he said softly. "And you don't have anything to apologize for. Okay? You haven't done anything wrong, I promise."

Emma bit her lip, watching them, and looked at Regina, unsure how to proceed.

Gripping the sleeve of his shirt, Regina smiled stiffly at Ree, saying, "Please excuse us." She then proceeded to stand and pull Henry from his seat. "My study, now."

"It's okay," Henry told Ree one more time, before following his mother. Once the study door was closed behind them, he crossed his arms. "You didn't have to make her feel bad like that."

Resting her hands on her hips, she pinned him with one of her infamous glares. "What are you doing with her, Henry?"

"We like each other, Mom, and there's nothing you can do about it," he answered defiantly.

"Oh you can bet your ass there's something I can do about it! She's going to stay here, under my supervision, and you'll be staying with Snow and David. And if Emma and I are busy, you'll be under their supervision." Shaking her head, she brought one hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Whatever feelings you have, push them down."

"Why?" Henry challenged, glaring just as fiercely as she had been. "Why are you being like this?"

"Henry... even if she isn't me, she is. She's the spitting image of me! How is that not even an issue for you?"

Henry's mouth moved silently for a moment before he accidentally blurted out, "Because it wasn't her face I was looking at, at first!"

"Oh, Henry..." Regina suddenly felt dirty, bringing her arms up to cross over her chest and dropped her head. "So what... she has an attractive figure so you thought 'hey, it's no big deal if I want my mom's doppleganger, because her body is hot'?"

Grinding his teeth together, Henry shook his head tightly. "It wasn't like that. I got to know her a bit, and she's really nice, and sweet, and… and I like her. And then when she was riding… She was cantering," he whined, "and she didn't have a bra! I'm a guy, okay, I noticed! And she liked me and we almost kissed but we didn't, because I couldn't, because I looked at her mouth, and she has that scar like you do and it was weird. Then we were looking for pictures in the clouds, and I told her I wanted to kiss her, and she said she wanted to kiss me, too, but I told her I couldn't, because you're my mom, and we talked about it and we decided we didn't care! We don't care, because we like each other, and we know it's weird, but she didn't raise me, she's not you. You were her once, but I never knew you like that. She's a totally different person to me."

She stepped closer to him and rested one hand on his arm. "I love you, Henry, and I never wanted to be like Cora... I never wanted to be the mother who tells you who you can and cannot love, but no, not her. We have to send her back. I'm sorry."

"No you're not," Henry growled, shrugging her hand off. "If you were sorry, you'd be trying to understand, not having some kind of existential crisis about it."

"You think I don't understand what it feels like? Trust me, I do! And yes, I am sorry, but if we don't send her back, it will mess things up somewhere."

"Maybe that's a good thing!" Henry argued. "She won't have to be with Cora anymore, and there'll be no reason to kill Grandma's mom, and she won't have to marry the king! Don't you want that?" he pleaded. "Please don't send her back to that. If I can't see her again, okay, but please, don't send her back to that life!"

Clenching her jaw and pursing her lips, Regina looked away for a moment. When she turned back to him she asked, "What happened between you two today?"

"We're both still virgins, if that's what you're asking."

"I will... do my best to consider her staying here as an option. But you need to understand if Gold tells us it isn't safe. Is that fair?" She wanted her son to be happy, more than anything, but this way scared her.

Henry thought about that, then nodded. "Okay. That's fair," he agreed, then hesitantly asked, "Can… can I still see her?"

"Let me discuss that with Emma. But you two, regardless of what we decide, are not sleeping in the same house."

Henry rolled his eyes, but agreed. "Fine."

"Please lose the attitude," Regina said, moving around him to open the door.

"Sorry," Henry sighed. "It's just… we already agreed that neither of us are ready, so…" He shrugged, stepping out of the study.

"While that's not all I'm concerned about, I'm certainly glad to hear you're not ready to have sex with Baby me."

"Please lose the attitude," Henry shot back.

Lifting her chin, Regina crooked her jaw and scoffed lightly. "You're pushing it, Henry." With that, she waved her hand to motion for him to go back to the dining room.

Henry returned to his seat, finding Ree staring intently into her bowl of stew, and Emma sitting with her chin resting on her fist, staring into space. "Hopefully the stew is still good cold," he said, breaking the silence.

Emma jumped, snapping back to the present. "Uh, yeah."

"You two didn't have to wait for us," Regina said, sitting down in her seat just after Henry. "And Henry, if you find it isn't warm enough for you, feel free to go heat it."

Wanting to break the tension, Ree smiled awkwardly and said, "It's very good, thank you." All she received from Regina was a tight smile and a curt nod, so she looked back down at her food and continued eating it.

Not caring at the potential for vocal disapproval, Henry reached over and squeezed Ree's arm, smiling at her before turning back to his own food.

With a sigh of disapproval, Regina muttered for them all to eat up so they could continue with their day.

Her built-in and well-bred need to satisfy the adults around her had Ree shifting awkwardly and refusing to even look at Henry. So far, this land had proved to be nearly as cruel as hers, with one more adult ruling her feelings unimportant.

When lunch was finally finished and the dishes cleared, Henry cleared his throat. "So, I'll take Ree over to Grandma and Grandpa's? We can spend the afternoon there, come back for dinner, then I'll grab my things?"

"Fine. I want to hear from your grandparents when you get there. No detours Henry, I mean it," Regina told him sternly.

Henry made a heroic effort to not roll his eyes and keep most of the sarcasm out of his voice. "Yeah, I know."

"Very well. Ree, I'm sorry for getting upset earlier. You didn't do anything... wrong. This situation is just confusing me," she said to the teen girl, trying to reassure her.

"I understand. Thank you for your hospitality." She turned, looking up at Henry for guidance.

"C'mon," Henry said, leading her to the front door and digging out a pair of Regina's flats for Ree to wear and slipping his own shoes on.

Stepping into the shoes, she hesitated and waited until they were outside, and the door was closed, to reach for Henry's hand. "Did you tell her about us?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Henry sighed, lacing their fingers together. "But she kinda already knew. So now I have to sleep at my grandparents' house until everything's figured out. But she said she'd consider not sending you back. I mean, if you want to stay." He looked over at her hopefully as they walked down the street.

"Really?" Ree asked, letting a bright smile curl on her lips. "I could... I could really stay here... with you?"

"Well…" Henry scuffed his feet slightly. "I told Mom that I'd stay away from you if I had to. Right now we're not allowed to be alone together. Either we're with my moms, or my grandparents. I think she's afraid we'll have sex. Plus, I think she thinks that if I'm attracted to you, it means I'm attracted to her, and that's, y'know, incest."

Looking down, she nodded. "I understand, I suppose. Her concern is reasonable, I mean, she's really beautiful, more than my mother even, and she's always been praised for her beauty."

Henry pulled her to a stop and turned to face her, lifting her chin with a finger and smiling. "Hey. You're beautiful. You're the one I'm looking at, not my mom."

Ree blushed deeply and gave him a shy smile. "Thank you, Henry."

Grinning, Henry took the opportunity to sneak a quick kiss. "Now come on… Mom will know if we take too long to get there."

"Okay." She let him lead her to a house just a short distance away and she found she enjoyed the modesty of it, but scrunched her nose at how small it was. "Will they like me, do you think?"

Henry chuckled, thinking of Snow's fond memories of when she first met Regina. "They'll adore you." He led her to the front door and opened it, calling, "Grandma? Grandpa? I've got a surprise guest!"

David called that they were in the living room since he was watching a game. David turned his head when he heard footsteps grow closer, seeing Henry and Regina. "Hey guys," he muttered, looking back at the game. His brain took a second to realize something was off and he turned back around, standing up. "Regina?"

"James?" she exclaimed, surprised to see him in this foreign world. Then, frowning, she dropped Henry's hand. "You live here?"

"Uh, no, I'm David. James' twin," he answered.

"But James is an only child!" Ree disagreed.

"You knew Prince James?" Henry asked in confusion, knowing that his mother had never met the man. "And he's right. King George secretly adopted James, this is David."

Snow came in from the kitchen, drawn by Henry's initial call and the commotion. "Hey, what's going o- Regina?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"Uh, Grandma, Grandpa, this is Ree. She's… from another universe. Ree, these are my grandparents, Snow and David," Henry introduced.

"Oh. Hello," Ree said, smiling at them, then turning to Henry. "Of course I know James! He's my... well, I'm to marry him when he's eighteen."

David's eyes widening and he crossed his arms, turning to look at Snow. "She's not... the Regina you knew?"

Snow shook her head, surprised. "No," she said faintly. "When I met Regina, she wasn't betrothed to anyone."

"Well, that makes two differences between your world and my mom's," Henry said. "Anyway, uh, Mom wants you to call her. And she also wants you to like… chaperone us or something. And apparently I'm staying the night for a while. So… yeah."

Snow's eyebrows rose as she looked between the two teens.

Ree blushed and looked at the ground shyly.

"Why is it you need chaperoning?" David asked, though he could take a guess at Ree's blush.

Henry's expression turned slightly challenging as he answered, "Because we like each other and she doesn't like that."

"Oh," Snow breathed.

"Henry... she's from a different time... she hasn't been exposed to the things you have," David protested.

"I am no naive princess!" Ree insisted, dropping her eyes after raising her tone to an adult.

"We're the same age!" Henry exclaimed. "Nobody has been through the things I have, so unless you're suggesting that I date… Ruby or something, that's a totally moot argument."

Snow stepped forward, patting David's shoulder as she passed him. Stopping in front of Ree, she dipped her head to catch the girl's eye and smiled. "You don't have to feel bad, honey. You're allowed to have a voice."

"I like Henry, he's nice to me," she said in reply, looking between the two adults.

"Well, you'll still behave as your mothers would expect you to," David muttered, wincing slightly in realization that Henry had a crush on a younger version of his mother, even if she wasn't exactly, she looked it.

"David," Snow reprimanded gently. "They're young and in love. Or at least on their way to it." Looking to Ree and Henry, she added, "Why don't you two go into the rec room, put on a movie, or play a game or something. I'll call Regina, and David will be here watching the game, if you need anything."

Henry's eyes widened in surprise, and he nodded, grabbing Ree's hand and pulling her from the room before anyone could protest or change their mind. "Cool, thanks, Grandma!" he tossed over his shoulder as they left.

Shaking his head, David looked at Snow once the two were gone from the room. "What are you thinking? I'm sure Regina has a reason for wanting them to be chaperoned."

"I ruined Regina's love once already when she was that age," Snow said quietly. "I'm not going to do it again."

"Well... then you're checking on them every half an hour," he insisted, sighing and sitting back in his chair. "We should send Neal in to watch a movie with them."

"You worry too much," Snow replied, shaking her head. "I'm going to call Regina, you just watch your game."

"Sure sure," he relented, doing his best not to think about what was going on in between the two teens.

In the rec room, Henry laughed quietly in surprise. "I have the best grandmother," he declared, grinning at Ree.

"She's very lovely," Ree agreed, smiling as wide as Henry. "I don't understand though... how are they your grandparents? They look the same age as your mothers."

"Uh, well, yeah, they are," Henry nodded. "It's a long story, and… I probably shouldn't tell you, unless you get to stay. I don't want to influence your possible future."

"Very well," she agreed, moving to sit on the couch. Looking up at Henry, she rolled her lips. "What shall we do? And what is a movie?"

Henry bit his lip. "It's kind of hard to explain. I'll put one in and just show you," he decided, going to the movie shelf. Skipping over the Disney section, he grabbed one of Neal's cartoons that he liked, and put it on. He grabbed the remote as he joined Ree on the couch, tentatively wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he turned the TV on.

She moved into his hold, and when the screen started showing the movie, she lit up in amusement. "That's lovely! How does it work?"

"The pictures and sound are recorded onto the disk, and the machine plays it," Henry explained, shifting a little so he was half-slouched in the corner of the couch, Ree comfortably leaning against him. "Is this okay?" he asked softly.

Ree turned her face to look up and him and nodded. "Yes. It's perfectly wonderful."

"Good," he murmured, smiling at her and pecking her lips before looking back to the TV.

Leaning up, she pressed a soft and lingering kiss to his cheek, then followed his lead and watched the screen, resting her head in the crook of his arm.

Once Regina had gotten off the phone with Snow, Emma asked, "So… do you think this is really the best way to handle this?"

"Do you disagree?" Regina countered, both eyebrows raised.

"It's just… forbidden fruit," Emma explained. "You always want what you can't have, right? I just wonder if keeping them apart is the right move, is all."

"And it wouldn't weird you out? Watching our son make out with a younger me?"

Emma blinked, giving her a flat look. "Regina, it would weird me out to watch our son make out. Period. No matter who it's with."

"I just mean... it's me. It's uncomfortable." She huffed a breath and closed her eyes miserably. Thinking a moment, she looked back at Emma and shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I want him to be happy, more than anything. I just don't know how to handle it if that happiness comes from Ree."

"I know," Emma sighed. "I know it's weird, and uncomfortable. But… can we really tell him who he is and isn't allowed to like? I know what that's like, and I know that you do, too. I really don't want to do that to our kid. Because, I mean, they're the ones involved in it, not us. And they know what the situation is, too."

Dropping her head slightly, Regina cringed. "I know. I know that I don't want to tell him he can't be with whomever he chooses. I guess... I just need to make the rules they need to follow clear until we know if she can stay or not. Do you think it's wrong for me to keep them in different houses at night?"

"Hell no," Emma shook her head emphatically. "I totally agree with that one. Teens and hormones and all that? You do remember that I was their age when I got pregnant with Henry, right?"

Shrugging, Regina smirked teasingly and said, "Daniel and I kept it in our pants just fine at that age. Well, a year older."

"And if you hadn't been terrified of Cora finding out?" Emma challenged.

"Well... I never said we didn't do anything," she allowed.

Chuckling, Emma nodded. "Exactly. Hey, how far did you go with Daniel, anyway?" she asked curiously.

Regina smiled as she thought of him, remembering their far too infrequent encounters. "Heavy petting, mostly. I came once, grinding against his thigh, through our clothes, of course."

"You were never naked with him? Not even a little?"

"A corset and riding pants was the most naked I ever got," she answered sadly. "I was terrified of my mother ever finding us, and the less I took off, the less I had to worry about putting back on."

Emma's expression twisted in sympathy. "That sucks, I'm sorry. What about him? Did he ever take anything off?"

"Mm, yes. I was rather fond of his torso. He was a hard worker, with lean, strong muscles." Regina laughed and smiled. "He was very gentle, though. Touched me like I was the most precious thing in the world."

"Aw," Emma smiled. "That's good. So…" She shifted, glancing away, then back. "How did he… y'know… fill his pants?"

"Emma Swan! What a filthy thing to ask!" Still, she laughed again and shook her head. Finally, after a pause, she said, "He filled them rather nicely. If I could go back, knowing what I know now, he would most certainly be my first lover. Probably my only, the way things were there."

Emma grinned widely, laughing as well. "Damn, sounds like you had good taste."

"He was wonderful." Tilting her head in curiosity, Regina smirked. "Was Neal your first?"

"Ahhh…" Emma rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably, kicking herself for not seeing the conversation turning around on her. "My first by choice," she finally answered.

Casting her eyes down, Regina cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."

Emma shrugged. "It's okay. Not your fault, and it was a long time ago. A lot of kids in the system have the same story."

"Partially my fault," she argued. "What was Neal like?"

"Not your fault," Emma repeated, and warned, "And don't try to argue, or I'll pull a Snow White and tackle-hug you until you give in. And are you asking what he was like when we were younger, or what he was sexually?"

Giving her a sad smile, Regina relented with a quiet hum. "Sexually, of course. I answered your questions."

Chuckling, Emma nodded. "Well, we were both young, so, y'know, in retrospect it was pretty bad, but of course we thought it was awesome."

"To be young and in love," she muttered, sighing again. "I suppose Henry deserves to be allowed that. He's still my baby, though."

"Tell me about it," Emma sighed. "I still look at him sometimes and see him like the first time. Both first times. The ten-year-old knocking on my door, and the baby placed in my arms."

"Do you think your mother is actually chaperoning them?" she asked as she rolled her eyes. "Gods know she never does anything I ask of her."

Shrugging, Emma replied, "No idea. She does have the whole 'love thing' so…"

"He said they're not ready to have sex, so hopefully he wasn't lying to me. As long as they don't go there just yet..." Regina let her sentence trail, uncertain of what else to say.

"He wouldn't lie about something like that," Emma said. "And besides, I can't see Ree having sex with someone she just met, even if she likes him. And Henry definitely wouldn't pressure her."

"They just... looked so smitten. They had less than half a day to get that way."

Shaking her head, Emma shrugged. "If this was any other town in the US, I'd say it's not possible, but this is fairytale town."

"All right. Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to give him this joyful news, since I was the one who was so strict with him about it," Regina muttered.

Emma smirked. "Go get 'em, tiger," she teased, swatting at the other woman's ass as she walked past.

Stiffening, Regina turned and glared at her. "You are very lucky I need your help with this situation, Swan," she growled. "Otherwise, you would be paying a very steep price for that."

Smiling innocently, Emma blinked in an 'I have no idea what you're talking about' way.

With a flick of her wrist, Regina use magic to towel whip Emma's ass with her dish towel, then smirked.

Yelping, Emma jumped, and stuck her tongue out. "Get out of here, go talk to our kid."

With a sly nod, Regina slid on her heels and headed to the Charmings'. When she got there, she knocked but let herself in anyway, finding David and Snow in the living room with the teenagers nowhere in sight. "Damn it, Snow! One request. Will you ever honor one request I make of you, in your entire life?"

Snow looked up, smiling at her. "Hey, Regina. Henry and Ree are in the rec room, watching a movie. I checked on them about… oh, I guess it was half an hour ago now."

"All right. I'll go check on them," she sighed, turning to go find them. Opening the door tentatively, she saw them close, but not doing anything she would deem inappropriate, so she walked around the couch to see them asleep with Ree in Henry's arms. Regina smiled softly, melting a little at how cute they were, then hesitated a moment before sitting on the coffee table. "Henry, Ree." She reached out, nudging Henry's knee lightly.

Henry hummed, blinking his eyes open slowly. "Mom? What's…" he trailed off, looking down at the weight against him. "We weren't do anything, I promise."

Ree shifted at his movement, waking slowly, her eyes widening when she realized how she was laying against Henry, with Regina right there. She sat up quickly, blushing and looking away from the other two.

"Henry, can I speak with you in the other room, privately, please?"

"Okay." Henry sat up as well, stretching and yawning. He took a moment to run his hand down Ree's arm, before leaving the room with his mother.

Leading him into Snow and David's room across the hall, Regina leaned against the dresser and faced him. "Close the door, please."

Henry did as he was asked, and immediately launched into an explanation. "I'm sorry, Mom, but Grandma said to go to the rec room, and she did check on us, and all we were doing was watching a movie, I promise, and we fell asleep, that's all."

"It's fine, sweetheart," Regina answered softly. "I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't respond very well to you two and that wasn't fair. You deserve better than that."

"Huh?" Henry blinked at her.

"You can have your time together, unchaperoned. But you will stay here at night." She looked at him with a timid smile. "I don't want to be the person who tells you that you can't be with someone."

Henry's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Nodding, she said, "Really. But I have conditions."

"Anything," Henry agreed immediately.

"I know you said you two aren't ready, but even if you think you are, you cannot sleep with her. Not unless I know for certain that we can keep her here."

Henry nodded seriously, promising, "I won't. I want to make things better for her, not worse."

"Good. And... it's still going to be weird for me, so just be subtle around me. No kissing."

"I… don't really wanna kiss in front of you anyway," Henry pointed out, making a face.

"Well, then we're agreed." Regina pushed off the dresser, stepping closer to him and cupping his cheek. "You're growing up too fast for me, Henry."

Grinning, Henry shrugged. "Can't help it, Mom."

Shaking her head a little sadly, she nodded. "I know." Then, with a light laugh she added, "And you need to take her shopping. She can't look like me and wear my clothes and date my son."

"Why do I have to take her shopping, I hate shopping," Henry groaned. "Wouldn't you or Ma be better for that?" His eyes widened as a thought occurred to him, and he declared, "I'm not taking her shopping for underwear!"

"Well, I doubt Emma would like that task either, and I don't want to! Perhaps your grandmother would. Although... oh nevermind, I'll take her in the morning."

Henry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best."

"Just be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

"I am." Henry smiled and wrapped his arms around Regina in a tight hug. "I love you, Mom."

Hugging him back, Regina leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I love you, too. You can stay and finish your movie, just be back for dinner."

"We will. Thank you." Henry smiled, opening the door to head back to the rec room and tell Ree the good news.

She stopped to say a quick goodbye to Snow and David, telling them they could leave the kids alone, then headed back home a little sadly. Regina knew the moment Henry's face lit up at her permission that she would do everything she could to make it so Ree could stay.

Regina took Ree shopping first thing after breakfast, and while the choices in town were fairly limited, the teen had managed to settle on two sets of riding clothes and a handful of dresses, with a collection of sleepwear and casual clothes as well. Much to Regina's pleasure, Ree was more interested in cotton panties, cute and girly, but not overly sexy, and the bras she'd chosen were modest enough, too. Well, with the exception of one matching set that Regina was in denial over buying.

Ree changed into a royal blue empire waist dress that came just above her knees and had a v-neck with three-quarter length sleeves. It was modest, which Regina was happy about, yet somehow she'd forgotten how perky things were at seventeen and she still looked stunning.

She helped Ree carry her bags to the guest room, then told her she would hang everything up while Ree went to find Henry. The girl was happy enough to oblige and headed downstairs with a bright grin.

She found Henry in the basement, playing one of his games, one with little characters in cars that drove around weird roads. "Hello, Henry," Ree said cheerfully, walking around to stand at the end of the couch.

Henry looked up at Ree's voice, and his mouth fell open. Dimly, he was aware of a siren sounding in the game, indicating he'd fallen off the course. He didn't care. "Wow."

"Do you like it, then?" she asked with a small smile. Sitting next to him, Ree looked at the screen and chuckled. "I'm no expert, but I think you may be losing your game."

"It doesn't matter." Henry tossed the controller on the coffee table and turned to face Ree. "You look amazing."

She ducked her head and blushed. "Thank you, Henry. Your mother was very helpful, and it was very kind of her to buy me so much."

Reaching out, Henry took Ree's hand and smiled. "Don't worry about it, she's got, like, enough money for three generations of our family. I like that color on you," he added, and grinned slyly. "It brings out the pink in your cheeks."

"You bring out the pink in my cheeks," Ree countered, smiling eagerly. "You seem to enjoy making me blush."

Henry shrugged a little. "When you blush, I know I've made you feel good."

Her cheeks went redder at the thought that fluttered through her mind and she looked down at their joined hands. "Your mother said she's going to see someone named Mr. Gold today, and other than that, she gave no instructions on how we should spend our time."

"Mr. Gold is my grandfather," Henry explained. "He's really old and knows a lot about magic. What do you want to do today?"

"Well... I wouldn't be opposed to more kissing, should you find that desirable as well," Ree murmured.

With a slow grin, Henry asked, "Do you think we can spend all day kissing?"

"I think we could give it a good try. Maybe if we get bored of it we can go horseback riding after. Or we can put on another movie and watch it once you tire of our kisses."

"Once I tire?" Henry asked in offense. "I'll have you know, pretty princess, that I'm not going to tire of kissing you any time soon. C'mere," he growled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his lap, claiming her lips fiercely.

Laughing against his lips, Ree brought her arms up to wrap them loosely around his shoulders as she kissed him back with deserving fervor.

Humming, Henry let one hand tangle in her hair, the other resting on her waist, holding her against him, and he parted her lips with his tongue, re-learning her mouth.

She tilted her head slightly, giving them a better angle as she moved her tongue against his. Her body warmed immediately to him, her muscles relaxing pleasantly at his desire for her.

Pulling back slightly, Henry nipped at her bottom lip, then flicked his tongue against it before moving his lips along her jaw to catch her earlobe between them.

Whimpering, Ree moved one hand into his hair, pressing him closer to her. "That is such a strange thing to have feel so good."

"Mmm," he hummed into her ear. "Lots of things feel good." He stroked his fingers over her side through the thin fabric as he moved down her neck, finding her pulse point and sucking lightly.

She gave a soft gasp, then used her free hand to undo the lowest button on his shirt. Pressing her palm against the skin on his stomach, Ree clutched tighter at his hair. "Is that okay?"

"Perfect," he whispered against her skin, gently rasping his teeth over the spot, then soothing it with his lips and tongue.

"Gods that feels wonderful," she sighed, pushing herself closer to him. "I-um... you can..." Ree left her sentence unfinished, unable to find a proper way to say what she wanted to.

"What can I do? Tell me what you want, Ree." Henry nuzzled the pink spot he'd left with his attentions, and made a note to suggest a nice scarf or something.

"I wouldn't mind if you touched me." If she wasn't already so flushed with desire, Ree figured she would have yet another noticeable blush creeping up her neck after she finished speaking.

Henry grinned, kissing up her neck, back to her ear and breathing, "I am touching you. Tell me where you want me to touch you."

Flustered, she opened her mouth twice to answer without actually saying anything. Her third try was the charm and she finally moaned, "My breasts or my bottom."

Groaning, Henry nipped at her ear, sliding his hand up her side to cup one breast, stroking his thumb over it and feeling her nipple peak under his touch.

"Oh goodness, Henry. Yes, I like that," Ree muttered, arching her back and pressing her breast harder into his touch.

Henry rubbed her nipple more firmly, not quite able to catch it between his fingers through the fabric of her bra and dress. Shifting on the couch, he pulled her closer, his arousal pressing against her thigh.

Feeling him hard against her had Ree letting out a soft whine and she moved her hand from his hair and gripped his chin between her thumb and fingers, directing his mouth back to hers. She was bolder with her kiss, meeting his tongue with hers before he did.

Groaning into her mouth, Henry slid his hand from her breast, down her back to her ass, pulling her tighter against him and flexing his fingers as they kissed.

Ree, having decided turnabout was fair play, broke their kiss and moved her lips to his neck, grazing her teeth along the column of his throat before settling on the tendon beside the hollow at the base. She nipped at his skin, then closed her lips and sucked softly, breaking away before any real damage could be done to his skin.

Henry bit back a swear and clutched her tighter against him, whispering, "You feel so good, Ree."

He felt good against her, every part of him she could feel anyway, and despite her mother's voice telling her she wasn't behaving in one ear, she nodded and smiled. "I want to make you feel as good as I do."

"Trust me, you are," Henry assured with a breathy chuckle, biting his lip, then hers, kissing her deeply again.

She pressed her hand harder against his stomach, crooking her wrist up and putting pressure against the next button. When it didn't pop open, Ree brought her second hand down and popped open a couple more buttons, leaving more of this skin exposed.

"Ree," Henry groaned, his fingers twitching with the urge to move under her skirt.

"Henry," she groaned back, teasing him. "You have to tell me what you want."

Letting out a raspy laugh, Henry replied, "What I want, I promised my mom we wouldn't do unless we know you get to stay here… plus, we agreed it's too soon."

Pulling back, Ree smirked and scratched at his stomach. "Is there nothing between what we're doing and... that?" She ran two fingertips against the back of his hand teasingly, just barely grazing his skin.

Henry swallowed hard. "There's, uh… there's a lot between them," he admitted. "I just… I don't want to… push you."

"I hardly think you're pushing if I'm the one asking, l just like how you touch me," Ree whispered.

"I like touching you," he whispered back. "Can I… touch you under your dress?"

Giving it a moment of thought, she nodded and grinned. "Yes," she breathed heavily.

Henry smiled eagerly, kissing her again and slowly dragging his hand down her thigh to the hem of her dress, resting there for a moment when he touched bare skin.

Ree giggled softly into the kiss, then pulled away and leaned her forehead against his. "I believe I already told you, but I do quite enjoy how soft your hands are."

"I enjoy how soft your skin is," Henry murmured back, and began his ascent back up her leg, sighing at the feel of her skin under his fingers.

"Henry?" she asked softly, uncertain if she should be so curious or open with him, but his touch was setting her skin on fire. "Can I ask you something?"

Henry immediately stilled his hand and met Ree's gaze. "You can ask me anything."

"What are the things between what we're doing now and sex?" Ree blushed immediately after asking, feeling very naive in comparison to him.

Taking a deep breath, Henry flexed his fingers against her thigh. "Uh, well… we could rub against each other, like we were doing in the bathroom? Only more. Or we could touch each other, um, between our legs. With or without our clothes there. Or we could," he swallowed hard, desire racing through him and making it hard to think. "We could kiss each other… between our legs."

Her eyes widened at the last mention, the thought sending a shiver of lust through her body, even though it seemed strange to her. "But... those things wouldn't make me... I wouldn't become... sullied?"

Henry reminded himself that she was from a different world, and her wording was not an offense to him. "No," he answered, shaking his head. "You would still be, physically, a virgin. If… if you have to go back, nobody would be able to tell."

Breathing out an "Oh," Ree bit her lip, then gave him a shy smile. "I would like to try something like that with you." She buried her face in his neck, hiding it from him. "Does that make me bad?"

Groaning loudly, Henry shook his head and slid his hand the rest of the way up her leg, squeezing her ass possessively. "It doesn't make you bad," he said, his voice strained. "But it does make me really, really turned on."

"Turned on? Is that a good thing?"

"You tell me." Henry lifted his hips, pressing his erection tighter against her thigh.

Breath hitching, Ree realized what he meant and she nodded. "Yes. I like it when you're... turned on," she murmured, trying out the phrase.

Licking his lips, Henry stroked his fingers over her backside, asking, "Are you turned on?"

"I believe I am." She remembered what it had felt like when they laying in the grass the day before, his body against hers, and she bit her lip shyly. "Could we lay together?"

"We can do whatever you want," Henry assured her, stroking his fingers through her hair. "How do you want to lay?"

Ree leaned in and kissed his lips tenderly, before whispering, "I want to feel you against me, like in the bathroom."

Henry hummed, returning her kiss, even as his lips curled in a sly smile. Keeping his grip on her, he carefully shifted them on the couch so he was laying on his back and her thighs were spread over his hips. "Like this?" he whispered hotly, using his hand on her ass to pull her tight against him.

"Oh yes," she answered, leaning down to kiss him. "This feels very good." Ree gave a small wiggle of her hips, pulling back to watch his reaction.

Groaning, Henry bit his lip hard, automatically thrusting up against her and suddenly wondering if this was such a good idea. He was already so aroused, he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to hold out.

"Henry, do you like this?" Bending her neck, she found his throat with her lips, kissing him softly while she remained mostly still otherwise.

"Yes," Henry hissed out on a breath, his eyes falling shut. He let his hand fall from Ree's hair, down to her shoulder, then dragging down her chest to cup her breast.

"And... it would bring us pleasure to rub against each other, you said?" Ree questioned.

Moaning, Henry nodded.

"And you're certain nobody would know but us?"

"Positive," he nodded again and rocked his hips.

Believing him, Ree began rocking her own hips against him, her head going fuzzy as they moved together. She let out a whimper, quiet and low.

Henry pulled at Ree's dress, until it was draped around them, but no longer an added layer between them. "You feel so good," he whispered, his eyes squeezed shut. "And I really like the sounds you make."

She leaned to kiss him, sliding her tongue along his lips and murmuring that she loved how he touched her. Ree then slid her tongue past his lips, searching for his in a desperate kiss.

Bringing his hands to her breasts, Henry rubbed her nipples with his thumbs as they kissed deeply, wanting, needing, her to be as close to the edge as he was.

"Henry," she whined softly, the added stimulation making her squeeze her eyes shut. Switching to suck on his bottom lip, Ree dragged her teeth along the flesh, tugging it away from his gums and releasing it.

"Yes," Henry sighed, squeezing lightly in response and lifting his head slightly to kiss her again. "I wanna touch you so bad," he whispered into her mouth, nipping at the tip of Ree's tongue when it reached out to meet his.

Ree pulled back and tilted her head in confusion. "You are touching me."

Henry shook his head slightly. "I want to touch you. Your skin."

"Okay," she breathed, nodding as she moved back down to press their lips together again.

Sliding his hands around her, Henry found the small zipper down her back, slowly pulling it down, giving Ree time to change her mind.

She appreciated the care he showed her, kindness she'd experienced from so few others. So, pulling back to look at him, just enough that his features weren't blurred from nearness, Ree gave him a sweet smile and said, "I trust you."

Henry smiled back, drawing her back down into a kiss before reaching to her back again, pulling the zipper halfway down and reaching for the clasp of her bra. He struggled with it, blushing as it took him a minute to get it undone.

Her heart fluttered anxiously, certain it would burst in her chest with the amount of feelings she was experiencing with him. She chuckled softly, kissing his cheek and whispering, "I'm very glad it was as difficult for you to work as it was for me."

Blush deepening, Henry grinned sheepishly. "It's my first time doing it, too," he replied, then pulled her dress off her shoulders, helping her remove her arms from the sleeves before sliding his hands over her skin, under the fabric of her bra until his hands cupped her soft, firm breasts.

Gasping at the touch, Ree arched her back, pressing her breasts harder against his hands. "That feels so good, Henry."

"Yeah, it does," he agreed, pressing his hips up against her again as he gently rolled her nipples between his fingers.

The friction of his arousal had her breath catching with every roll of her hips against him. She had never felt anything so wonderful or intense in her entire life and she told him that, whispering the words against his skin.

"I want you to do what feels good," Henry murmured as he moved with her. "I wanna make you feel so good…"

"This... this is so much," Ree choked, using her arms to help her move as much as anything else. She felt tightness in her belly, and while it felt good, she didn't know exactly what it was.

Henry pinched her nipples lightly and tugged on them, biting his lip and almost drawing blood in his effort to hold back. "Let it happen," he soothed, holding his hips up and grinding tightly against her.

Ree was about to ask what he meant when she felt something release in her body, her muscles tightening and tensing, pleasure radiating through her. She cried out, blushing immediately at her own volume.

Watching Ree fall apart broke Henry's self-control, and he groaned loudly, his face scrunching up in an almost pained expression as he jerked against her, releasing into his boxers.

Once she felt him relax beneath her, Ree settled her body against his, exhausted and breathless as she tried to recover from whatever had happened. She left one hand up by his head, her fingertips curling in his hair, her other hand resting against his chest.

Breathing deeply, Henry wrapped his arms around her, hands lazily brushing the bare skin of her back. "That was amazing," he whispered. So much better than taking care of himself, even if his boxers were sticky and wet now.

Looking up at him, Ree nodded and blushed. "I agree. But... what was it?"

"That," Henry said, blushing as well but also grinning proudly, "was an orgasm."

"I've never felt anything so wonderful before. Does it always happen?" she whispered, scratching her nails lightly against his chest.

"Um, I'm not really sure," Henry answered. "Usually, at least here. But from what I know about the Enchanted Forest… it's usually just the guy who has an orgasm."

"I know that much. Well, sort of. Mother has informed me of my duties as a wife, and she said only trollops enjoy sex. It is meant for men and making heirs." Ree pushed up against him and looked into his eyes. "I... feel as though I should feel guilty."

Henry shook his head and brushed her hair away from her face. "Don't ever feel guilty for enjoying things that make you feel good." Pausing, he looked away for a moment, his cheeks heating. "Um… I kind of need to get up. I had an orgasm, too, and I need to change my pants."

"Oh! Forgive me," she answered, pushing up and moving off him. "I should probably get some clean clothes as well." Ree pulled her dress up, righting her bra and the dress. Running her fingers through her hair, she blushed when she looked at Henry, assuming she probably looked like a terrible mess.

Henry raked his gaze over her, groaning quietly and biting his lip. "It's not fair that you look so good," he said as he stood, adjusting his pants.

Shaking her head, she rolled her lips together and managed to keep herself from blushing again. "I doubt it."

"Don't doubt it," he protested, cupping her face and pulling her into a quick, deep kiss, before backing away to head upstairs.

Ree waited a moment, gathering herself, then followed him, passing his room to go to her newly offered room and changing into a new outfit.